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Sjoberg, G., T. R. Vaughan and N. Williams (1984). 'Bureaucracy as a Moral Issue'. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 20(4): 441.
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Most organizations in industrialized societies have bureaucratic structures characterized by hierarchical authority, division of labor, standardization and specialization of functions, and efficiency through rationalization. Bureaucracy is the dominant organizational form in both capitalist and socialist systems. The centralization of political and economic power engendered by bureaucracy presents a major moral problem. Of particular concern are the hidden arrangements that shield those in authority from accountability while manipulating those who are less powerful. Bureaucracy also serves as a primary means for maintaining social and economic inequality. Through a process of triage, the socially disadvantaged are systematically sacrificed in the pursuit of rational organizational objectives. A first step in addressing the moral problems of bureaucracy is to develop strict standards of accountability. Social scientists must identify more moral, more humane organizational arrangements based on a human rights perspective.